Veronica plant named ‘Atomic White’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Atomic White’, particularly distinguished by light pink to white colored flowers, floriferous with healthy foliage, good mildew resistance, and well-branched, compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Veronica hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Atomic White’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant botanically known as Veronica hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Atomic White’. The new cultivar originated from an open pollination in 2005 in a nursery location in Haarlem, The Netherlands between unknown male and female Veronica hybrida plants. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Veronica cultivars with improved branching, unique flower coloration, and compact habits.

The new cultivar was selected from the results of the open pollination in 2007 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Haarlem, The Netherlands since the summer of 2007, has shown that the unique features of the Veronica are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Haarlem, The Netherlands:

-   -   1. Light pink to white colored flowers;     -   2. Floriferous with healthy foliage;     -   3. Good mildew resistance; and     -   4. Well-branched, compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Veronica cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Atomic Pink’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,797. However, in side by side comparisons in Haarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic White’ differ from plants of ‘Atomic Pink’ in at least flower color. Plants of ‘Atomic White’ have a flower color that is whiter than plants of ‘Atomic Pink’.

In addition the new cultivar can be compared to the commercially available cultivar ‘Purpleicious’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,639. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic White’ differ from plants of ‘Purpleicious’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color that different         from plants of ‘Purpleicious’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are taller than plants of         ‘Purpleicious’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar are less branched than plants of         ‘Purpleicious’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Atomic White’. The plant was field grown for approximately 2 years in Haarlem, The Netherlands in an outdoor nursery location. The plant was transplanted into a container for photography purposes.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Atomic White’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Atomic White’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Atomic White’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken in July 2011 on 2-year-old field grown plants which were planted and grown outdoors in daytime temperatures between 14° C. and 28° C. and nighttime temperatures between 5° C. and 18° C. No pinching, growth retardants or photoperiodic treatments were used. Observations were made when the plants were in natural daylight conditions.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica hybrida cultivar ‘Atomic White’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida.         -   Male parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cutting.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 30 days with             average soil temperature of 14° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; grey in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate density, poorly branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial. Overall shape: Broad inverted             triangle. High temperature tolerance: Tolerant to at least             35° C. Low temperature tolerance: Hardy to at least USDA             Zone 4. Excellent garden performance.         -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 4 months from rooted             cutting to a finish flowering plant.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Broad upright,             moderately vigorous.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 49.7 cm. Width: Approximately 35.7 cm. Rate of             growth: In spring, approximately 12 cm per month.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Pinching not             required, but will improve basal branching. Quantity of             branches per plant: Approximately 8.         -   Branches.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.             Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 28.2 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 3.1 cm. Texture: Slightly glossy, densely             pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Length of             pubescence: Approximately 0.5 mm. Color of young and mature             stems: 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per stem:             Approximately 18. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.             Durability to stress: High.         -   Leaves.—Shape: Narrowly ovate. Margin: Serrate with             approximately 8 teeth per cm. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate to             cordate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 8.3 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             2.6 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Moderately             glossy, moderately pubescent with short greenish-white             hairs. Length of pubescence: Approximately 0.4 mm. Color of             upper surface of young foliage: 143A and venation of 138C to             138D. Color of lower surface of young foliage: 143B with             venation of 138C to 138D. Color of upper surface of mature             foliage: 147A and venation of 138C to 138D. Color of lower             surface of mature foliage: 147B and venation of 138C to             138D.         -   Petiole.—Shape: V-shaped. Length: Approximately 1.4 cm.             Width: Approximately 5.0 mm. Height: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Color: 138A to 138B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing             conditions with substantially continuous blooming from July             through mid-October in The Netherlands.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 days.         -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 60 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme, self-cleaning.             Fragrance: Faint. Height: Approximately 17.4 cm. Width:             Approximately 2.2 cm. Quantity of opened flowers per             inflorescence: Approximately 600. Rate of flower opening:             Approximately 20% of the flowers open at any stage.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 17.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 143B. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single. Shape: Campanulate.             Aspect: Outward.         -   Bud just before opening.—Quantity per inflorescence:             Approximately 400. Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately             6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.5 mm. Color: 76D. Rate of             opening: Approximately 20% of buds open at once, all open             within approximately 8 weeks.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Height: Approximately 1.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 9.0 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 4. Arrangement: Approximately lower 40% of             each petal fused into a narrow tube. Appearance: Dull.             Shape: Obolanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute.             Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm             with upper petal approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color of upper surface             when first open: 69D. Color of lower surface when first             open: 69D. Color of upper surface when fully open: 69D to             NN155C. Color of lower surface when fully open: 69D to             NN155C.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Rotate. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: 4. Appearance: Dull. Shape: Narrowly             ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate, lower 5%             fused. Length: Upper sepals approximately 2.0 mm with lower             sepals of approximately 3.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color of upper             and lower surfaces of immature sepals: 137B. Color of upper             and lower surfaces of mature sepals: 137B.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Approximately 60° angle             from vertical. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             143B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per             flower, dorsifixed. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Filament length: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Anther color: N77B. Filament color: N155B. Pollen amount:             None observed. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower.             Pistil length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Stigma shape: Clavate.             Stigma color: N79C. Style length: Approximately 3.5 mm.             Style color: N77B. Ovary color: 144B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Good mildew and rust resistance. No     particular resistance or susceptibility to other diseases or insects     noted to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Atomic White’, substantially as herein shown and described. 